We use VIO/NPIV based tape drives for a bunch of storage agents.  Once
setup and working it works well.  We ran into several bumps along the
road:

1)  We had to double the vio server memory (1g to 2gb I think).
2)  We had to patch VIO to a newer level.
3)  There are limits to the number of tape drives you can define in a lpar
this way.  I'm thiniking 62 or so - don't remember exactly.  It's a limit
on scsi targets.  Every tape drives is a separate scsi target.
4)  I also think there is a total limit on scsi targets across all lpars
defined to a vio based hba.
5)  Learning about how vio handles targets and how to clear them.  To
clear/reset the vio targets you have to drop the fcs adapter in the lpar.
Delete/recreating a rmt devcie in the lpar doesn't do it.

We've still had problems with loosing  npiv WWN's.  Somehow the vio
mappings have got lost such that we had to get all new wwn's in the lpar.
To say the least this caused pain!

Rick




From:   Steven Langdale <steven.langdale AT GMAIL DOT COM>
To:     ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
Date:   01/25/2012 05:14 AM
Subject:        Re: TSM in AIX WPARS
Sent by:        "ADSM: Dist Stor Manager" <ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU>



Remco

Am I missreading this technote:
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21461901

That is saying virtual NPIV adapters are OK.

----Original Message-----
> From: ADSM: Dist Stor Manager [mailto:ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU] On Behalf 
> Of
> Remco Post
> Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2012 3:20 PM
> To: ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
> Subject: Re: [ADSM-L] TSM in AIX WPARS
>
> I don't think there are any major issues, but if you need access to tape
> drives you must have physical HBA's in each WPAR if you want to run an
> officially supported configuration. Virtual HBA's work, but are not
> officially supported, so if you run into any issues you might be on your
> own.
>
>




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